Adams Oshiomhole
The National Chairman of the ruling APC, Adams Oshiomhole, has
supported Nigerian workers on the new minimum wage, saying that there is
no basis for governors not to pay living wage to their workers, adding
that he would always stand by Nigerian workers on a new national minimum
wage.
According to TheNation, Oshiomhole disclosed that refusal to pay a
living wage amounted to creating a poverty cycle and a chain of
Nigerians who cannot afford goods and services, adding that it was only
by paying living wages and improving the purchasing powers of the
worker, that production could be encouraged and employment opportunity
created.
The former governor of Edo state spoke at a reception for Nigeria
Labour Congress (NLC) President, Ayuba Wabba on his election as
President of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC).
Speaking further, Oshiomhole said that if governors can be made to
receive the same salaries irrespective of their revenue base, there was
no reason why wages of workers should not be the same across the
country.
He said “I am sure you must have read some of my comments on
the minimum wage. I have told people that even I was to become the
Secretary General of the United Nations I am a creation of Labour and I
will never, publicly or privately do anything that will undermine or do
anything that is designed to possibly affect the welfare of Nigeria
workers.
“I am a believer that Nigeria needs to have a National minimum
wage. I do not belong to those who say, because we are in a Federation,
we should have different wages. I join in amplifying that we cannot
apply the principles of federalism separately.
“If we have the National Salaries and Wages Commission that
makes it possible for me as governor of Edo State presiding over about
4.3 million population to earn the same salary as the governor of Kano
and Lagos state who are presiding over 15 million people, that argument
cannot change when it comes to fixing a national minimum wage.
“The primary purpose of government is the welfare of the
people. The most portent asset of the people that protects you from the
oppressor. What the military were able to live with and what reactionary
governments were able to live with, this President is not about to put
that asunder no matter the pressure from any section of governors or
state.
“I believe that we have to work together not only to get wages
fixed, but to ensure also that they are paid. When the President makes
public statements like the ones he has made, he has challenged you to
take advantage and make sure that when he provides those resources as he
has done almost four times, you ensure that they are used for the
purpose for which he provided the money. If you don’t, I don’t think you
have some one else to blame.
“To change this country, it cannot be done with placards.
Placards can generate the heat, win temporary concession, but it will
not fundamentally alter the direction of state. You have to be in it an
do it from within.”
He went on: “Minimum wage is not about party, but about
Nigeria. To be honest, don’t ask partisan question, but one that has to
do with governance in Nigeria because this is an issue that all
governors, regardless of party platform are united on. So, it is
incorrect to put it as an issue that affects particular sets of
governors.
“When I was a member of the governors forum, I did publicly
advise my colleagues then that when it comes to the issue of minimum
wage, I am not with them. Not only secretly, but publicly too, I am
going to dissociate myself.
“I believe that we need a national minimum wage. I believe that
Nigeria is capable of paying a national minimum wage. I believe that
the primary purpose of government is the welfare of the people and that
payment of wages is not a process of prosperity.
“If Nigeria was to wake up tomorrow and there is no one liter
of oil and you must employ a worker, you are oblige to pay. Wages is a
consequence of work. He who must employ, must pay and even the Bible
says a laborer is entitled to his wages. I believe this view and I have
canvassed them. I had an extensive interview on this and I spoke
extensively on it.
“If you are hiring Julius Berger to construct a road for you!
You don’t ask them to charge you according to the income accruing to
your state. What it cost you to buy a bag of cement in Zamfara is the
same price in Benin. So, if contractors are not charging you according
to your level of income, and they are providing service while we run a
market economy, the price of Labour cannot be static if other prices are
changing.
“Otherwise, workers face double squeezes of rising prices and
stagnant wages. This creates a vicious cycle. When you lack purchasing
power in an economy, how do you stimulate the economy to bring goods and
services and create jobs? So, you create a vicious cycle of people who
are too poor to buy anything and so, those who produce cannot sell and
because they can’t sell, they are closing shops and more people are
being thrown out of work. We should be more bold and courageous .
“Those who are more inward looking in their consumption pattern
are the working people because they are the ones that buy garri, yam,
tomatoes and eat local food. They are not going to import any food or
buy Toyota jeeps. They are the ones who go to the local park to
patronise local taxis driven by Nigerians.
“So, their pattern of spending is such that their money
circulates. So, when you deny him wages, you trigger a vicious cycle of
poverty. So, I am clear about it. Whether I am Chairman of the ruling
party or not, my views are not corrupted by the seeming privilege
position that I occupy.
“What is constant in my life is my life is my background which
is Labour. I don’t deny it, I don’t hide it and I have always been clear
that NLC, Working with TUC have a right to demand a reasonable,e living
wage and when I was governor, I made the point and increased the
minimum wage to N25,000 three years ago. I paid it till I left office
and my successor is paying it.”
He said further: “Sometimes, when I meet people and they ask
me, now that you are on the other side and I tell them that I am and
will always be in one side and that is the side of the working people. I
feel proud to say that I am the chairman of the governing party because
the President is as committed to the welfare of the ordinary worker
like any trade union leader.
“He is the only president to my recollection since 1999 that
can publicly lament, question and interrogate the hearts of people in
government and ask them how do you sleep when you have not paid your
workers for six months.
“He goes beyond lamentation and says, ‘take this bailout and
make sure they are paid, take this money that was over deducted by my
predecessor and pay those who are dying for non payment of wages and
pensions’.
“I can’t be Chairman of the other party if they were to be in
government. I am privileged to be Chairman of a party that cares for the
welfare of the ordinary Nigerian whether in the organised private
sector or the forgotten majority in our rural settings.”
Turning to Nigerian workers, the former NLC President said: “It
is nice to celebrate, but you also have new challenges that you are
going to confront around the world. I don’t know what is going on now,
but I know that we still have countries where union leaders are murdered
for daring to belong to trade unions and question the practices of
private sector employers.
“We still have countries where the right to organise is still
being threatened. They will bring those issues to ITUC and expect you to
travel to travel to meet their government to impress on them that they
have the right to organise. So, you do have huge challenges,
particularly at this time.
“Out of millions of Nigerian workers, you decided to elect
Comrade Wabba and as you can see, what you picked among yourself has
been recognised around the world as a material that capable of presiding
over the affairs of the workers of the world.
“So, I also congratulate you for achieving this. But this must
force us to do serious reflections. If we are going to preside over the
workers of the world, what do we do to,deal with the distractions at
home when we still have some of our brothers and comrades who still
think that at this time, we can make sense out of a divided Labour
movement.
“The slogan that united we stand, divided we fall will always
be valid. I hope that the spirit of your election will touch the hearts
of those who seem to be confused. There can be no question that united
we stand, divided we fall.
“There is only one Organised Labour and I am happy that
President Muhammadu Buhari, speaking through the lips of the Vice
President, has reassured Nigeria Labour Movement that his government
will not provide a platform for anyone to factionalise Organised Labour.
“You are not under the kind of threat that we faced when I was
President of NLC when the former President sent a law to the National
Assembly. Not only to deregister the NLC, but also to make it possible
for any three or four unions to form a Labour Centre.
“The President believes that we need more national institutions
and that organised Labour is a potent unity bridge that must be
sustained. So, you have that comfort. People can try anything, but under
this government, there will be no registration of another Labour
Centre. We need to be fired by the spirit of our people to work together
and deal with all the issues that are bedeviling our country.”